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Draft Profiles - Oakleigh Chargers
 
Written by: Dominic Milesi
www.hawkheadquarters.com
7/11/2003
 
The Chargers are always a difficult team to assess as a lot of their players also play school football, which I don't get to see. I wouldn't say they had a very strong list in 2003, with only two players getting draft camp invitations and another two screening camp invites. Robert D'Orazio (9 Aug 85, 191cm, 83kg) was one of those but I haven't seen him play so haven't done a preview.

Daniel Jackson

Details:
Club: Carey Grammar
DOB: 25 Apr 86 Hgt: 185cm Wgt: 83kg
Position: Forward
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
State Screening Camp Invitee 2003

TAC Stats:
2003: 7 games, 6 goals, 13.6 PPG.

Profile:
Don't really know too much about this guy - I only saw him play once against the Western Jets as a leading forward. He was nothing special, a red head who presented OK.

Jackson only played seven games (possibly due to school footy) but seemed to play in a variety of roles for Oakleigh, including a couple of games on the ball, and a game against Geelong where he kicked 4.2. He is very young. I would think he will get another year at TAC level to impress, but perhaps some sides saw something in the games I didn't see him in.

Alister Neville

Details:
Club: Trinity Grammar
DOB: 17 Aug 85 Hgt: 185cm Wgt: 78kg
Position: Onballer/Flanker
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
Victoria Metro 2003
National Draft Camp Invitee 2003

TAC Stats:
2002: 14 games, 1 goal, 18.6 PPG.
2003: 5 games, 2 goals, 27.0 PPG.

Profile:
Neville spent nearly all of the year playing for Trinity in the AGS competition, and the most impressive performance I saw from him was in the AGS v APS match, where he led from the front as captain in a pretty ordinary AGS side.

Neville can play on the ball or off a half-back flank, and provides good drive from defence. He is usually a good kick, although he can make the occasional blunder. His kicking is so highly rated he sometimes took the kickouts for Vic Metro.

Was given some big jobs in the carnival, including minding Adam Cooney when he drifted forward. He is capable of setting up a goal with his excellent passing, noticed this a couple of times. His team acts are very good, things like shepherds, smothers and tackles.

From all accounts he is a natural leader and has a good work ethic. He can find the footy no problem, and uses it well, so should be picked up at some stage in the draft, possibly a bit later.

Thomas Roach

Details:
Club: Carey Grammar
DOB: 2 Sep 85 Hgt: 182cm Wgt: 73kg
Position: Onballer
Natural foot: Right

Honours:

TAC Stats:
2003: 7 games, 6 goals, 19.7 PPG.

Profile:
Won't spend too long on him as I've only seen him once and he is going to Richmond anyway. He looks pretty good, might take a bit of time but should be a good player.

Roach is very much a 20-40 player as I like to call them - he loves to carry the ball 20 metres before kicking it at least 40. He loves to take blokes on and run the footy at every opportunity.

Not sure if he has a left foot, saw him use a banana kick in general play, mind you it went through for a brilliant goal so can't bag it too much! Should be OK, but will need time.

Toby Pinwall

Details:
Club: Mount Waverley
DOB: 17 Feb 85 Hgt: 187cm Wgt: 83kg
Position: Forward/Onballer
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
Victoria Metro 2003

TAC Stats:
2002: 21 games, 29 goals, 15.9 PPG.
2003: 15 games, 12 goals, 24.6 PPG.

Profile:
We all have special reason to hope Toby's name is read out on National Draft day or rookie draft day, as he is a cousin of our very own training guru Boycey!

Pinwall played two full seasons for Oakleigh. Despite not being that tall, he was used last year mostly as a centre half forward and was a very good player. This year he spent a lot more time in the midfield and continued to impress.

Toby's main asset is his work rate - it is simply incredible. As I said in my notes, 2nd and 3rd efforts are simply the norm for this kid. He never gives up, definitely a good choice as captain.

He works very hard to find space, mostly through sheer hard running. Works hard at the stoppages and is very strong in the hips, a tough person to tackle. He was a late call-up to the Vic Metro squad and did OK off the bench against Vic Country.

I have a few concerns, he is not very polished and his disposal can let him down a lot of the time, undoing all the good work. His pace perhaps isn't enough to play midfield, and he lacks height for a key position. I think he might end up going well at VFL level, but his work rate means he could be worth a look for a rookie list.

Julian Rowe

Details:
Club: Carey Grammar
DOB: 25 May 85 Hgt: 186cm Wgt: 72kg
Position: Wing
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
Victoria Metro 2003
National Draft Camp Invitee 2003

TAC Stats:
2002: 9 games, 3 goals, 13.5 PPG.
2003: 9 games, 9 goals, 22.9 PPG.

Profile:
Rowe is yet another one of the promising outside midfielders in this year's draft. He was impressive in most of the games I saw him in, but unfortunately he tore some cartilage in his knee and missed the second half of the year.

My favourite thing about Julian is his ability to find space and his disposal is good by either foot. In nearly every game I saw he was quite confident to use his left foot, despite being a beautiful kick on his right.

His ability to find space is uncanny. As soon as Oakleigh gets possession he runs hard to a position and inevitably ends up with the footy. Is definitely a bit of a downhill skier, but I certainly wouldn't call him soft - will do the team acts such as smothering and 2nd efforts.

He can be very damaging with the ball, such is the precision in his kicking. Is fairly athletic and good on a lead. My only query at this stage would be the effect of the injury, and his defensive capabilities. Looks pretty good to me though and should be taken, perhaps around the middle of the draft.

Other Draftee Profiles can be viewed by clicking on the links below:
Dandenong Stingrays
Murray Bushrangers
NSW and Tasmania
Geelong Falcons
South Australia - Part 1South Australia - Part 2



 
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